Caponord...?

[Schtum]

I'm currently entertaining impure thoughts of buying a rather clean Caponord that I've come across. it's a 2002 bike with 23,000 miles.
Remapped ECU, upgraded regulator (Eastern Beaver kit), fuel line fixed (AF1 kit), MRA VTA Screen.

Given the asking price, I think he'd probably take c. £3k for it. I don't know how that compares with UK values but it's irrelevant since it's in California.

Why would I want to buy a bike in California you ask? To park in a friend's garage in San Jose for most of the year, of course...

ISTR Sven always said that although his old one had a great engine, the front suspension gave no feedback whatsoever. I suspect that could be fixed and would need to be since the bike would mostly be used to chase a hooligan Irishman on an Ohlins suspended GS around NorCal's finest goat tracks.

Any helpful observations?

 

[wessie]

I agree with Sven's riding assessment. I test rode a new bike of the same vintage and dismissed it in favour of my current R-GS.

I could probably live with a Caponord - it seemed quite comfy too.

There is one problem with the bike in the photo. The Caponord is not a good looking bike but that colour scheme is positively gopping.

 

[Schtum]

There is one problem with the bike in the photo. The Caponord is not a good looking bike but that colour scheme is positively gopping.

The looks are irrelevant. I'm good looking enough to more than compensate for any aesthetic shortcomings in the bike.

Besides which the tank has a gray [sic] Baglux cover on it, so I'm guessing that the tank is white.

 

[Twit!]

I had a Capo for a few thousand miles a while back, assessment above is pretty much on the money.

The engine is a peach, nice and revy and plenty of power, it comfy and pretty roomy and the screen gives good protection. The front end is hopeless, I never had any idea what was going on, just felt really numb, I also felt that at times I couldn't find the gear it was comfortable in. It isn't an issue on open roads, but filtering on motorways was a pain due to the continual shifting up and down.

Perfectly decent bike, and looking at prices albeit over here, a bit if a bargain. You won't go wrong with it, but sort out the forks!!

 

[Schtum]

Perfectly decent bike, and looking at prices albeit over here, a bit if a bargain. You won't go wrong with it, but sort out the forks!!

Stoppit - you're talking me into it. SWMBO's already said - "Well it'd be cheaper than renting every time you go over...."

I need to realistically assess how much I and my son would ride it, the garaging options and registration and insurance costs.

About $400 to have the forks rebuilt, resprung and revalved by http://www.le-suspension.com/services/forks.html.

How are the rear shocks on these?

 

[sven]

Mike, I had two issues - the lack of feedback which completely shattered my confidence in the handling/roadholding and the windroar from the screen.

I never fettled the suspension (just traded it back in for my old VFR ) although a Schuberth S1 and Givi screen improved the wind noise. It was quick though for an "adventure" bike with a GPS verified top speed of 139mph on the flat

I would be willing to borrow it though when we go to the US next year

 

[Schtum]

Thanks Steve. We'll see.....

 

[DavidJames]

Any helpful observations?

When starting a new sentence you should use capital letters.

 

[richie]

I always thought that cars and bikes were cheaper in the states. So why is this capo worth 3k... It'd have trouble making 2K in the UK or are you talking dollars???

 

[Schtum]

I always thought that cars and bikes were cheaper in the states. So why is this capo worth 3k... It'd have trouble making 2K in the UK or are you talking dollars???

Used bikes seem to hold their prices better in the US - eg you'll see some relatively high mileage GSes fetching much more than they would over here. I don't think I've ever seen another Caponord for sale over there, so I haven't been able to comparer the price with anything else. I have, however, PM'd a guy I know in Oregon who has one. So I'll see what he has to say.

 

[forry]

When starting a new sentence you should use capital letters.

Class

 

[JJH]

I had a cappornord about 4 years ago. I never had any problems in aprox 15,000 miles. Fast bike does not like town likes juice aprox. 40mpg whare a gs12 was giving 45 I changed it for a FJR and would buy another. The was (is?) a very active forum Stateside with plenty of hints and vidios on changing oil and other well known problems coils ect. although I belive Renault coils are the same. The parts are very dear - just price a tank- but most consumables are no problem pads ect. Some Ducati parts fit rear caliper Aprilia= 450 euro Ducati 120 inc pads

 

[Schtum]

Thanks for that JJH. I could live with 40 mpg at US gas prices and this one has a remapped ECU but I don't know how that would affect the gas mileage [sic]. My biggest concern is that I might get my friend in California to buy it and then get over there to find I hate it.

 

[JJH]

Why not buy it and if you dont like it trade it in for a gs? You only live once JJH

 

[Schtum]

Why not buy it and if you dont like it trade it in for a gs? You only live once JJH

Because at £3K it's probably right on the threshold of what I'd want to spend for something that would probably spend most of the year parked up and only get used when either I or my son could make it over to California to ride it. I don't think I'd get much in the way of a GS in San Francisco for that kind of money.

To put it in context, 5 days GS rental cost us c. £700 each last year. So it would probably pay for itself in a couple of years but if it wouldn't live with an enthusiastically ridden GS on the Bay Area's goat tracks then....not to mention that my other canyon carving buddy in Sacramento has just chopped in his K1200R for a Hayabusa.

 

[JJH]

It will live with them no problem. I found that the bikes abilitys far surpassed mine JJH

 

[Deleted User O]

When starting a new sentence you should use capital letters.

He's slung ye a deefie

 

[DavidJames]

He's slung ye a deefie

I have no idea what you are trying to say young man, but I do think the clunt is trying to ignore the fact I pulled him up on his grammar.


Plick

 

[Schtum]

I have no idea what you are trying to say young man, but I do think the clunt is trying to ignore the fact I pulled him up on his grammar.


Plick

It would take someone who's bright enough to know the difference between a typographical error and illiteracy to do that. Now kindly piss off and play with someone of your own shoe size, there's a good lad.

 

[Deleted User O]

It would take someone who's bright enough to know the difference between a typographical error and illiteracy to do that. Now kindly piss off and play with someone of your own shoe size, there's a good lad.

You still wearing junior docs then